Entresto, a medication commonly prescribed for heart failure, can affect blood tests used to screen for Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study reported in a major medical journal examined this interaction and its implications for diagnostic accuracy. The research focused on how the drug, which combines sacubitril with valsartan or uses valsartan alone, might influence a novel blood-based test designed to detect Alzheimer’s pathology. The findings suggest that Entresto can produce false positive results in this specific blood test, raising questions about how to interpret test outcomes in patients receiving this therapy.
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the buildup of beta-amyloid protein fragments in the brain. In recent years, therapies have been approved that aim to slow or modify this beta-amyloid accumulation. Traditional confirmation of brain amyloid uses invasive procedures such as cerebrospinal fluid analysis or brain imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). While these methods provide direct evidence of amyloid presence, they are invasive, costly, and time-consuming. As a result, researchers have pursued less invasive, more accessible testing options that could be integrated into routine care to identify individuals at risk or track disease progression.
The study explored a blood-based test that estimates Alzheimer’s disease status by measuring the ratio between two forms of amyloid beta in plasma. In this investigation, 92 patients with heart failure were enrolled. All participants were on Entresto, either in combination with valsartan or as valsartan alone, and they were monitored for roughly one year. During the study, participants underwent two assessments of the blood-based Alzheimer’s test. The results revealed that Entresto use was associated with false positive readings, meaning the test suggested amyloid pathology when it was not clearly present, potentially leading to unnecessary further testing or worry for patients and clinicians alike.
These findings have important clinical implications. About 40 percent of individuals with heart failure report some degree of memory or thinking difficulties, independent of Alzheimer’s disease. The new data imply that the specific blood test evaluated in this study may not be reliable for a large subset of this population, at least not without careful adjustment or additional corroborating information. Clinicians should be aware of this potential limitation when interpreting test results for patients who are taking Entresto or who have recently started or changed this therapy.
In the broader context, researchers have long sought to identify factors that influence biomarker measurements and test performance. Earlier investigations described a factor associated with an increased risk of severe atherosclerosis by about 1.8 times, underscoring how cardiovascular health, systemic medications, and shared metabolic pathways can complicate biomarker interpretation. The current study adds another layer to that narrative by illustrating how a heart failure medication can perturb a biomarker-based assay used to screen for a neurodegenerative process. Ongoing work aims to refine these tests, explore alternative biomarkers less affected by cardiovascular drugs, and develop guidelines that help clinicians choose the most accurate diagnostic approach for patients with comorbid conditions.
For patients and families, the takeaway is practical: when a blood-based Alzheimer’s test is considered in the context of Entresto therapy, results should be interpreted with caution. Clinicians may rely on a combination of patient history, cognitive assessments, imaging when appropriate, and other biomarkers to confirm the presence or absence of amyloid pathology. As science advances, researchers anticipate strategies to mitigate treatment-related interference, improve test specificity, and provide clear paths for diagnostic decision-making that accommodate the realities of cardiovascular comorbidity and polypharmacy. Within this evolving landscape, the goal remains to achieve accurate, timely insights while minimizing unnecessary procedures and anxiety for patients.